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Abbott Laboratories Executive: Planning to Grow Nutrition Business in India

By Rumman Ahmed BANGALORE--Abbott Laboratories (ABT) is looking at having a fully integrated business model to grow its nutrition business in India, where it has plans to add local manufacturing as well as sales and distribution functions to its research and development capabilities, a senior executive said Monday. Abbott Monday inaugurated its first nutrition research and development center in the South Asian nation through a tie-up with a unit of Indian biotechnology company Biocon Ltd. (532523.BY). "India is a growth area for us. We have research now. To be fully integrated, we will have everything from research to manufacturing to sales (in India)," John Landgraf, executive vice president of Abbott's global nutrition business, said in an interview. Mr. Landgraf didn't elaborate on Abbott's plans for setting up local manufacturing operations, but said it is the "next phase" of the company's programs for the nutrition business in India. Abbott had last month unveiled its collaboration with Syngene International Ltd., Biocon's contract research unit, to develop nutrition products targeting those afflicted by malnutrition and diabetes in the South Asian nation. Write to Rumman Ahmed in Bangalore at rumman.ahmed@dowjones.com